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Volunteers can help track loons, aquatic health this summer in national park

Jun 19, 2018 | 12:00 PM

The echoing call of a loon can be a welcome sound to those who frequent lake country over the summer.

What people visiting the lakes may not know, however, is that the serene and somewhat haunting call can indicate the presence of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Loons are negatively affected by pollution, human disturbances, and long-range transports that can be hazards to the water. 

Since 2009, volunteers have been called on to participate in the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey in the Prince Albert National Park. The survey is part of a larger national program that tracks common loon reproductive success by monitoring chick hatch survival. The program asks citizen scientists to spend a few hours around lakes during the summer to monitor the waterfowl and help assess lake-ecosystem health.

“We also use it to get Canadians involved in our science program in the park, so they develop a stronger connection and gain experiences,” Norman Stolle, a resource conservation manager at the national park, said.

Loons are just one component fo the monitoring program, Stolle noted. Water quality, lake populations, and other birds like pelicans are also tracked. Stolle said collecting data on water health is crucial as water is the basis for all living things.

“People come to Prince Albert National Park for the lakes and activities you can carry out in the waterways,” he said. “Loons are a good indicator for that. If [the loon population] is healthy, then people can continue to use the park.”

The monitoring program is also required in order to collect data on the ecologic health of the park to ensure it is meeting its mandates. Volunteers are key to the program in more ways than one, Stolle said, as the survey gets the visiting public involved with keeping the park up to par, helps them build a stronger understanding of what the park is, teaches park users about what is involved in its maintenance, and improves the overall experience.

Despite a massive wildfire early in the season, the National Park is fully open. Fires, Stolle said, are a natural part of the ecosystem and can usher in an improved environment for wildlife over time.

“There may be some short-term impacts, but over the long term it actually creates a more healthy environment for various wildlife,” he said.

Those interested in participating in the count can contact the park. The survey requires participants to head out to lakes for one day in June to see if loon pairs are there, one day in July to see if chicks hatch, and a third visit in August to see if the chicks survived.

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr